I really need some sleep - HELP

[tortoiseshell]

Ds2 was a brilliant sleeper up until about 5 months - he would sleep 8-8 guaranteed. I deliberately was NOT smug about it ! But now he is hopeless - he goes down about 7:30 or so, wakes at 12, is awake for about an hour, and then wakes up at 1-2 hourly intervals. If I feed him he will usually go back to sleep, otherwise he SCREAMS like I've never heard a baby scream - ear-shatteringly. He might be teething, he's got a bit of a cough, but he's now 7 months and this has been going on 2 months. I've got 2 older children and I'm EXHAUSTED. Can't keep my eyes open in the day, and night-time is as much work as daytime. Any suggestions?

[Scootergirl]

Much sympathy to you - I'm the same. Mine used to sleep like an angel and now he's a little bugger! I don't know if he's teething or what but I agree with you, something must be done
Apologies for having no practical advice...

[tortoiseshell]

Should add, he's still in our room, because we're decorating other rooms - might this be the problem?

[tortoiseshell]

And thanks Scootergirl - didn't mean to ignore you there! Sorry you're in the same position - it's horrible isn't it!

[tortoiseshell]

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[tortoiseshell]

Any advice will be gratefully received???

[tortoiseshell]

I'm clearly invisible today

[moljam]

my ds was same,slept really well till 7 months then was just as you described your lo!weve just done the no cry sleep solution,by elizabeth pantly,its gentle but slow proocess of teaching youre child to sleep.does your lo nap well?we found once we got naps better sorted the nights became easier.theres a thread on ncss on mn very supportive.

[tortoiseshell]

I'll look that up, thanks. No he doesn't nap especially well - he usually has a 1 hour nap in the day which I don't think is enough at 7 months.

He had a bit of a rocky start, with feeding problems, so I wonder if he's just catching up - he is certainly eating enough!

[mumj06]

I have read that any change in the bedtime routine can lead to this. Ex: before he goes to sleep: too many people around, too much noise, change of environment, tensions/anger, etc. Does it ring a bell?

[tortoiseshell]

I guess things have been a bit different in that we went away to my parents for a week, and then we've been decorating - but this does seem a little drastic!

[Enid]

ha ha ha haha ha ha

you ARE my mumsnet twin

ditto to your OP

she now wakes once or twice a night and I have to feed her then stroke her head

its a fecking nightmare

her day naps are terrible as we are out and about so much doing this that and the other

such a bummer as she was brill until about 2 weeks ago

am going to try a 'dream feed' tonight

[Enid]

dd3 is still in our room too

we had planned moving her into her own room over the xmas hols as we want to paint it first

[tortoiseshell]

Hi Enid!!!! Lol! It's annoying isn't it. Last night I screamed into the pillow 'GO TO SLEEP YOU RAT'. Dh thought I had gone mad!

Same to naps with us - our routine is so up in the air that naps get missed. I'm going to try keeping him awake a little later and not letting him sleep after about 5pm.

Hope you have a better night, twin!

[tortoiseshell]

Yes, ds2 is moving as soon as we've done the painting over xmas too!

[Enid]

dd3 goes down willingly at 7-ish

I am going to give her a dose of calpol AND a bottle at about 10.30/11pm

I BET it won't blinkin work though

AND now as soon as she mumbles I am awake as though I have touched an electric fence - then cannot get back to sleep

[tortoiseshell]

Is she teething (calpol?). I'm wondering if ds2 has his top teeth coming through (clinging desperately to hope that he is one day going to sleep again).

[tortoiseshell]

He does go down ok, it's just staying asleep that's the problem. Dh says 'let him cry for a bit' but since that keeps me awake anyway, I might as well feed him and get him back to sleep.

[binkyboymum]

aaargh - ds did this last night for the first time ever - now you've all scared me into thinking it's going to go on for months

He has a slight cold and is also possibly teething - gave him calpol every four hours but he was still up every hour screaming like I've never heard before - feeding didn't help either

he is being a nightmare about daytime naps today as well, though he never usually goes more than 2 hours without wanting a little nap

[tortoiseshell]

How was your night Enid? Did the dream feed help?

Let me tell you about my night - put ds2 to bed at 7.30, slept until 8.30, fed him again, slept till 12.30, woke, fed, slept till 2.30, fed, cry, fed, cry, fed, calpol, cry till 3.30, slept till 6.30. Awake.

So actually, looking at it, not as bad as he has been, but still didn't feel there was any proper period of sleep for ME!!!!

Hope you had a better night.

[Enid]

ok

dd3 went down at 7

I stayed up until 11 then got her out of her cot and gave her a bottle of ready made cow and gate instead of her normal goats milk formula. Put her back in her cot. She slept through until 6.30.

Total result.

the downside is that she squawked a couple of times at about 3am - that woke me fully and I had to go downstairs and read a book until I felt sleepy again

[Enid]

I didn't do calpol at 11pm but I DID give her some nurofen before bed at 7 - I was dosing the two others (sore throats) so I thought I might as well do her as well - maybe it helped.

[tortoiseshell]

Well, 22:40, ds2 has been asleep for 2 hours - keep your fingers crossed for this evening! Enid - that sounds a lot more human! THe squawking is the problem with having them in the room isn't it! Hope you have a good night.

[tortoiseshell]

AAAAARGH. Woke up at 12. Then at 1.30. Then 3.30. Then 5.00.

This is not normal....surely....? [yawn emoticon]